The Date
by Halawen
Summary: Eli broke Clare's heart and Fitz sees his chance and asks her out. How will everyone react? How will the date go? A/U see notes before story. Clare/Fitz, Clare/Adam friendship. One Shot.


**Alright so I'm calling this a one shot but most of my one shots end up getting requests for sequels or more chapters. So I'm calling this a one shot for now.**

**Firstly before we get into all the boring notes this is dedicated to all my Flare fans!**

**So it always bothered me that they brought Fitz back, had him apologize, had him work at the Dot and nothing ever came of it at any point Clare was single. This takes place just after Eli breaks up with Clare but Cam is not dead! **

**The Date **

**(TRISTAN)**

I was sitting in the Dot with Maya reviewing notes for our French test tomorrow. Both of us kept glancing up at Clare who had come in a few minutes after us. We both felt really badly for her since Eli had brutally dumped her a few days ago. She had been in the café for nearly twenty minutes just sitting at a table, she had a book in her hand but she wasn't reading as she never turned the page. When Fitz walked over to Clare with a latte and sat down across from her I stopped paying attention and watched them with interest.

"Tris, hello Tristan!" Maya says snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Hang on I need to watch this," I insist motioning Maya to be silent.

She turns her head and we both watch the exchange between Fitz and Clare, me more intently than Maya of course she doesn't know their whole history and I do.

"I heard about you and Eli, I'm sorry Clare." Fitz tells her.

"Thanks Fitz," Clare replies quietly.

"He really broke your heart this time didn't he?" Fitz asks looking concerned.

"I was worried about him that was it, I was worried and he didn't want to talk so I drove him to take drugs." She laments.

Fitz reaches across the table, takes her hand and Clare doesn't pull away. "Clare you can't think that. You didn't drive Eli to do anything, if he couldn't talk to you or anyone else that's his problem. It was his choice to take drugs you didn't force him to, he made that choice and it was the wrong one." Fitz consoles her.

"I wish I could believe that but I feel so guilty. I was worried about setting him off; I worried that if we got back together it would set him off." Clare says.

"You can't blame yourself for Eli's problems Clare but you can move on." Fitz says giving her a look and a coy smile.

"What do you mean?" Clare questions.

"Move on, show Eli you're not going to mope around and go on a date; with me." Fitz says.

"Fitz…" Clare starts but he cuts her off.

"One date, if you have a terrible time then I'll never talk to you again unless you're ordering here. Just one date, you might even have a good time and you know it would drive Eli crazy. You can't tell me that thought isn't just a little appealing." Fitz smirks.

Clare bites her lip, a sign that she's thinking and then she smiles a little. "Okay," she says, Fitz smiles and I spit out the sip of coffee I just took getting it all over Maya's white shirt. She gives me a dirty look but Clare is still talking. "One date Fitz," she reminds him.

"One date, tomorrow night after I'm off I'll pick you up." Fitz grins widely.

"We better meet somewhere, say seven? Here's my number." Clare says writing her number on a napkin and giving it to Fitz.

"I'm off at 3:30 I'll call you when I'm off and we can work out the details," Fitz smiles getting up from the table and putting the napkin in his pocket.

Clare walks out biting her lip and I'm sitting there shocked beyond breathing.

"Tris!" Maya says hitting my arm so I'll look at her. "What's the big deal? Clare accepted a date with the waiter isn't that good? She needs to move on." Maya remarks.

"You don't understand that wasn't just a date that was a date with Fitz! Clare has gone unsane!" I reply.

"Okay well I have to get to Whisper Hug practice and there's Owen to take you home so I'll see you tomorrow." Maya tells me.

I look out the window to see Owen giving me the you better hurry up look, so I grab my books and run out, waving to Maya.

"What took you so long; I have to get to practice." Owen says in an annoyed tone and then looks over at me. "Why do you look like you so…sick? You feelin' okay? You aren't having chest pains again are you?" He asks in a worried voice.

"No Owen no, I'm fine just you'll never believe what happened. Clare accepted a date just now." I tell my big brother.

He doesn't really know Clare that well but he and Fitz use to be very close and he's the one that told me all about Fitz's crush on her and Vegas night.

"Yeah so? From what I heard Eli crushed her she should go out with someone new." Owen shrugs.

"Even if that someone is Fitz?" I question.

"What?!" Owen exclaims looking at me and very nearly crashing the car. "She told Fitz she'd actually go out with him?"

"Yeah I couldn't believe it either." I nod as we reach our house.

Owen doesn't say anything else and somehow I don't think he's going to do very well at practice, I go inside and Owen drives off.

**(ADAM)**

I was tuning my bass waiting for the others to arrive for Whisper Hug practice when Maya came in.

"What happened to your shirt?" I ask her.

"Ugh Tristan spit coffee all over it while we were at the Dot when Clare told that Fitz guy she'd go out with him." Maya replies and I stop breathing.

"SHE WHAT?" I yell just as the others come in.

"You too, what's the big deal?" Maya questions.

"I have to go talk to her," I say trying to leave when Mo stops me.

"No we need to practice unless someone is dying you can't go." Mo says sternly.

"Adam they aren't even going out until tomorrow night you can talk to her tomorrow." Maya tells me.

"Who's going out?" Imogen asks.

"Never mind lets just practice," I insist.

Imogen is too close to Eli she might tell him and I can't be sure what he would do. I make it through practice but I'm distracted by all the ways this date could go very wrong.

**(CLARE)**

I had to admit I was actually kind of looking forward to my date with Fitz tonight. I'd thought about it all night, even dreamed about it. Jake noticed and asked who I was thinking about but I told him no one. Mom only knows Fitz as the guy that threatened us on Vegas night and Jake knows all of it, I told him while we were dating. I figured there was no reason to tell them anything unless the date went really well and we decided to go out again. I open my locker and start putting books in when suddenly two figures come up on either side of me.

"We need to talk." They both state at the same time.

On my left is Adam, not surprising to see my best friend at my locker wanting to talk; however on the other side of me is Owen which is surprising.

"Hey Adam and Owen, I need to go to the DeGrassi Daily office so I'll talk to you later Adam." I say and look at Owen confused as to why he's here.

I start to walk off but they both grab an arm and start dragging me around the corner.

"Dude what are you even doing here? I need to talk to Clare about her date tonight." Adam says to Owen.

"You know about that too? That's what I wanted to talk to her about." Owen states.

I know why Adam's freaking out but I have no idea why Owen seems so concerned. "Oh for heaven's sake Adam it's one date!" I respond slightly exasperated at my best friend and choosing to ignore Owen all together.

"That's what you said LAST TIME!" Adam exclaims just as exasperated.

"Adam Fitz isn't the same guy he was at Vegas Night! He's changed, he…" I start to argue when Adam cuts me off.

"He's found god? And you think that means he won't bring a knife and try anything?!" Adam questions.

"Yes Adam," I reply.

"Clare Fitz has had a crush on you for a long time! I would say bordering on obsessed and I know how he treated girls and got his way." Owen states and I can no longer ignore him.

"The Fitz you knew has changed Owen and how do you even know about this date and why do you care?" I inquire.

"Tristan was in the Dot when you made the date." Owen tells me.

"Yeah he spit coffee all over Maya; even he couldn't believe you made a date with Fitz!" Adam adds.

"Okay how would Tristan…" I stop and look at Owen, "You told Tristan about Fitz and me on Vegas Night?" I state more than ask.

"Not just Vegas Night and Tristan knows Fitz a little." Owen shrugs like it's no big deal and I'm still processing the fact that he's barely said hi to me ever but he gossips about me with his little brother.

Before it truly sinks in the warning bell rings. "We have to get to class and I'm going on this date tonight!" I inform them and walk to class quickly.

I make it all the way to lunch without hearing anything else about the date, it helps that I have no classes with Adam in the morning. Adam was eating lunch with Eli and Dave, I was fairly certain Adam wouldn't tell Eli about the date. I was eating in the caf with Alli, Jenna and Connor.

"Clare why is Owen staring at you?" Connor suddenly questions and we stop talking to look at the Ice Hounds table.

"Owen thinks I shouldn't go on a date tonight." I tell my friends.

"Okay since when is it any of Owen's business who you date?" Alli questions glaring at him and Jenna glares as well, Connor just looks confused.

Now that they're all glaring at Owen; Dallas, Luke, Cam and a few others take notice and Dallas seems to be asking Owen what's going on.

"It's really not and he's suddenly decided to be concerned about my dating life. I have some work to do for the DeGrassi Daily, I'll see you guys later and you two can stop staring down Owen now." I tell my friends and get up from the table. As I pass the Ice Hounds table I see from the corner of my eye that Owen gets up and follows me out. "Owen I'm going on this date tonight and nothing you say is going to stop me!" I tell him in annoyed tone.

He takes my arm and stops me from walking simultaneously spinning me around to face him. Not only has Owen followed me but my friends and half the Ice hounds have as well.

"It's none of your business who she dates Owen!" Alli snaps at him.

"It is when the person she made the date with is Fitz!" Owen informs everyone.

"FITZ!" Exclaims Alli, Jenna and Connor really loudly.

The Ice Hounds of course have no idea who Fitz is so they all just look confused. My friends look like I just announced I'm having Adam's baby!

"One date you guys, it's one date, somewhere public. He said if it I had a terrible time he'd never talk to me again unless I was ordering at the Dot." I tell them.

"How did he blackmail you this time?" Alli questions.

Now all the Ice Hounds that followed Owen look shocked and curious all at once.

"He didn't blackmail me at all this time he asked me." I inform the group.

"I never thought I'd say this but I agree with Owen." Alli says.

"What's going on?" Inquires a voice that silences us all and we all look over at the owner of the voice, namely my dark haired, green eyed ex.

Eli is cocking an eyebrow at us, scanning over the group but lingering on me and no one is saying anything. Everyone knows about our break up of course; it spread all over the school by lunch that day.

"Yeah I have to do some work on the newspaper," I sort of mumble and sneak past Owen and the others now that their attention is on Eli.

"CLARE!" Several of them call after me but I ignore them and keep walking.

**(ELI)**

We all watch Clare walk away quickly and I look back at the group, Dallas, Owen and the other Ice Hounds quickly vanish but I hear Owen say Clare's name as they walk away.

"Is she okay?" I query Alli, Jenna and Connor.

Alli and Jenna just sort of glare at me, they have not forgiven me for breaking up with Clare, I think it's going to be a while.

"Clare is g…" Connor starts but Jenna elbows him and he goes quiet.

For the rest of the afternoon people are looking at me, they did it all day after I broke up with Clare too but this is different. My last class is science with Fiona and Imogen so I decide to ask them if they know since they have a better beat on school gossip than I do.

"Do you guys have any idea why everyone's looking at me today?" I inquire.

"Not a clue," Fiona shrugs, "I didn't even notice they were."

"I don't know but Adam seemed really upset that someone was going out on a date tonight. He wanted to leave band practice to go talk to her and the only her that you two would care about so much I can think of is Clare." Imogen says.

It sort of sinks in that Imogen is probably right and Clare has a date but I can't be angry with her. I know I broke her heart so if a rebound date makes it easier on her then that's good right? After class I go to the resource center to finish editing my movie, I'm there for about half an hour when Dave comes in.

"What are doing here? I thought for sure you'd be at the Dot with the others." Dave says.

"I have to finish editing this, why would I be at the Dot?" I query.

"You're taking this date thing better than I thought. I'm impressed man; you've really come a long way since last year." Dave comments putting his hand on my shoulder.

"If you're referring to the fact that Clare has a date tonight I heard." I reply trying really hard to keep the bitterness out of my voice but I don't think it works all together. I take a beat before continuing. "Maybe she needs a rebound date it's better than me having to watch her cry in the hallways another week." I didn't mean that to come out with as much venom as it did.

"Even I tried to talk her out of this though, pretty sure everyone has. This is way beyond a rebound date." Dave responds.

"What are you talking about?" I question turning around to look at him.

"Oh you don't know?" Dave says slowly.

"Know what? Is Clare okay?" I question and Dave doesn't say anything and looks away. "Dave answer me." I demand.

"She's ummm…not sure okay is exactly the word, her date is with Fitz Eli." Dave confesses to me.

I look at Dave, get up and run for the Dot.

**(CLARE)**

Knowing that people are going to try and stop me from going on this date and very possibly threaten Fitz or actually fight him, I leave my last class a few minutes early and go to the Dot.

"Hi Clare, you're not backing out of our date are you?" He asks with a hurt expression.

"No not at all in fact when does your shift end because I think we should go now." I tell him looking at my watch and knowing the bell is going to ring soon.

"Hey Sally you mind if I take off a few minutes early?" I ask the other waitress.

"No go ahead, have fun on your date." Sally smiles.

Fitz offers me his arm and we go out the back and through the alley to his car. Beat up old thing but I don't really care, I'm not going to let anyone stop this date.

"I should probably go home and shower first and change. What's the urgency anyway?" Fitz asks.

"People found out about our date and they weren't exactly thrilled." I confess to him.

"Oh yeah, Owen came and saw me near the end of lunch." Fitz tells me.

"Oh god what did he say to you? I don't even know why he cares all of a sudden. We've gone to school for two years and the most he's ever said to me was hey Clare and now he's all worried about who I date." I gripe, Fitz laughs a little and I look at him and can't help but smile when I see his smile.

"Owen's known me for a long time, he's known me at my worst but we really haven't talked since Vegas Night. He's just looking out for you; he just wants to be sure I'm not going to treat you the way I used to treat girls." Fitz says.

"That's my point though why does he care? He never has before!" I point out as we pull up to a church. "What are we doing here?" I ask.

"I live here, well in the back. Father Greg has a house in back we live there with other boys like me. Ones he's saved from the wrong path, it's better than it was at my house and at least I have my own room. You should probably stay in the car though, I don't know how well behaved they'll be with a girl in the house. I'll be ten minutes, just need to hop in the shower and change out of work clothes." Fitz says.

"Okay, hurry back." I nod. Fitz smiles and gets out of the car just as my phone rings, it's Adam so I answer even though I know he's going to yell. "I'm okay Adam," I say somewhat annoyed when I answer.

"Where are you?" He asks in a worried and slightly angry tone and I hear many many voices in the background. Among them Owen, Alli and Eli!

"About to go on my date and none of you are going to stop me!" I reply.

"Where are you? This isn't a good idea Clare, half the school thinks so." Adam tells me.

"You can tell half the school that this is my life and I'm going on my date!" I tell him in a hard tone, and then take a deep breath because I know they're only being concerned. "I'll call you when I get home tonight okay? If you don't hear from me by ten you can send out a search party." I tell him.

There's a few seconds of silence and then I hear Adam sigh heavily. "Fine but I can't guarantee we won't check in and be careful. If you get the slightest feeling that something is wrong. If he even…" Adam starts and I cut him off.

"I will get away and call you I promise and now I'm hanging up so I can enjoy my date. Goodbye Adam and everyone else." I say and hang up.

Fitz returns to the car, nicely dressed in black jeans and a dark green dress shirt and I feel underdressed now.

"So I was expecting us to go out later I was going to take you to dinner but it's kind of early for that." Fitz tells me as he starts driving.

"No that's okay it's just an early dinner, I didn't eat much lunch. You look very nice by the way and I'm just in school clothes." I remark.

"No you look beautiful as always," Fitz smiles at me and I can't help but smile back.

Fitz takes us to a Mediterranean restaurant close to downtown; we sit in the back in a small booth and look at the menus.

"So when did you move out and in with Father Greg?" I ask after the waiter has taken our order.

"Not long after I was your house the day of the storm. Things with my stepbrother just kept getting worse. When I turn eighteen in a few months I'll move out and get my own place." Fitz tells me.

"What about your parents?" I question.

"My stepdad always took his sons side and my mom cared more about her husband than me, haven't seen my dad since I was three so he doesn't care at all." Fitz replies.

I reach across the table and take his hand. "I'm sorry Fitz. It's not quite the same but I haven't seen my dad in a few months either. He pretty much checked out of being a dad since the divorce and only wants to see me when it's convenient for him." I confess.

"But Jake's dad he's been good to you right? And Jake?" Fitz asks.

"Yeah Glen is great and Jake too, we made the transition from dating to siblings fairly easily, a few rough spots but we made it. So you never did tell me why Owen would suddenly care about me." I say deciding to change the subject from depressing family things.

"Owen can come off as a monster and he had his share of problems too but even back then he was a better guy than I was. He's changed though, I know he has. Even though we haven't talked I've watched all you guys. With Owen it was always more of a tough act, like he was pretending be the bully everyone thought he was. He's always been a good big brother and he's always been protective of the people in his circle. I guess that now includes you, actually he wasn't exactly thrilled that I got you to go to Vegas Night with me. I was a jerk back then Clare, a real one I wasn't just pretending. I never would have hurt you but Owen didn't know that, doesn't know that even now I guess." Fitz explains.

"Okay that still doesn't explain why he cares; we don't even know each other." I reply.

"Technically he always cared he just wouldn't let himself show it before." Fitz says.

"Okay fine, well I have a whole new perspective of Owen now." I remark as our food is brought.

The rest of dinner conversation is small talk, him asking me about school, me asking him about work and other boring things. When we're done, Fitz pays the bill and drives us to the movie theatre. Just as we're walking to the ticket booth my phone beeps, it's a text message from Adam checking in. I text back that I'm alive, everything is fine but we're at the movies so my phone is going to be turned off for a couple hours.

"So I'm thinking the romantic comedy," Fitz says when I turn off my phone.

"You want to watch a romantic comedy?" I question with a dubious look as I put my phone back in my purse.

"Not at all but I'll watch it for you." Fitz smiles and I bite my lip.

"Romantic comedy it is then," I smile.

Fitz gets two tickets and we go in, he hands me my ticket and tells me to get seats while he gets some drinks and dessert. I find two seats in the center of the middle row and wait for Fitz. I saw a glimpse of this side of him before at Vegas Night and a bit more when he got out of juvie but now I feel like I know him, the real him and surprisingly I find that I like the real him. Getting everyone else to understand that is going to be a challenge but I've never been known to back down from a challenge.

It's a Friday night but it's fairly early so the theatre only fills up about half way. Fitz finds me; he has two small sodas and ice cream sandwiches. He sits down next to me and hands me mine just as the previews start. The movie is cute and a little bit sexy; I have to admit I did expect Fitz to make some lame move like stretching to put his arm around me. He doesn't though, he just sits next to me watching the movie all though he does look bored throughout most of it, except when the female lead is half naked. Hey he's a teenage guy not a saint!

When the movie turns sad I find my hand searching for his, almost on instinct. He seems to know because his hand finds mine and he squeezes gently. I never thought I'd find comfort in Fitz's touch but I am, not just comfort but a sort of energy, a rush of feelings. Feelings I haven't felt in a long time, not since Adam's burn your uniform party when Eli and I kissed again.

"So were you totally bored?" I ask as we leave the theatre for the lobby when the movies over.

"Not totally bored but it was pretty lame. You seemed to enjoy yourself though and that's all that matters to me." Fitz replies.

I smile taking his hand again and stop walking long enough to give him a peck on the cheek. I take my phone from my purse to turn it on and tell Adam I'm still alive. It's just starting to turn dark now but it's barely eight and I'm not ready to end my date just yet.

"I don't have to be home for a couple of hours you want to walk downtown?" I suggest.

"You sure you don't want me to take you home? Assure all your friends I haven't stabbed you or anything?" Fitz asks only half joking.

"I already told Adam I was fine and I'm not ready to go home." I tell him as we leave the theatre lobby and go back out to the street.

"Then downtown it is my lady," Fitz replies interlacing out fingers.

I smile and we start walking toward downtown, we're silent as we walk just enjoying being together. Something I never thought I'd do with Fitz but I am, very much. We're about a block from downtown when we hear a familiar but very distressed voice.

"STOP IT!" Maya screams.

"Get off of me!" Tristan demands trying to sound harsh and determined but sounds more desperate and pleading.

They're in the shadow of a building, against a wall but two older boys seem to be bullying Tristan and Maya is trying to fight them off but they just keep pushing her away. Fitz holds my hand a little tighter and takes off running, he lets go of my hand just a few steps before we reach them, grabbing one boy by the back of the jacket and tossing him away! Then Fitz takes the other one turning him around and pinning him against the wall with his arm over his throat with just enough pressure to scare the boy.

"You think it's okay to pick on kids!" Fitz growls at the boy as Maya and I help Tristan to his feet and I look him over as much as I can in the dim light. "Next time you two think it's a good idea to bully anybody remember that someone bigger and stronger can come along and snap your neck!" Fitz barks at them.

He's being threatening but not actually violent, he just wants to scare them and it works, the boys nod and as soon as Fitz lets them go they run. Maya and I take Tristan into the light to look at him better.

"You'll probably have a black eye and you have a few scratches, did they get you anywhere else?" I ask Tristan.

"They punched him in the stomach a couple of times." Maya tells us.

"I've had worse I'll be alright." Tristan says trying to smile but he's holding his stomach.

"Come on we'll take you guys home, my cars just a couple blocks from here." Fitz insists to them.

We start walking back to Fitz's car; Tristan is moving pretty slow so Fitz and I support him. Maya and Tristan sit in back and I give Fitz Maya's address so we drop her off first. She tells Tristan to call her in the morning and waves goodbye to us, we watch her go into her house before Fitz starts driving to Tristan's house. I have no idea where Owen and Tristan live but Fitz apparently does. Their house, as it turns out, is similar to Adam's and not too far from them. As if Adam can read my mind he calls me, I pick up because if I don't he'll send a search party out for me.

"I'm okay Adam, alive and well, I'll call you when I get home." I tell him.

"Where are you now?" Adam questions.

"At Tristan's house," I inform him as we get out of the car.

"Okay what are you doing at Tristan's?" Adam inquires slowly and obviously confused.

"I'll explain later, goodbye Adam." I say hanging up.

Tristan's house is dark but he gets out his keys and we all go in.

"I'll get some ice for your eye," Fitz says turning on a light as I help Tristan sit on the sofa.

"Do you want me to call anyone? Your parents or your brother?" I offer.

"No my parents will just freak out," Tristan says.

"Okay well take your shirt off then so I can see the damage." I insist and Tristan looks at me like I'm crazy. "You're moving slow, take your shirt off or I'm going to have Fitz take you to the hospital." I command him.

"I'd do as the lady says Tris," Fitz smiles handing him an ice pack wrapped in a towel.

Tristan takes the ice and sets it down before taking his shirt off, I can see a couple red marks where he was punched.

"Does it hurt or do you just feel sore?" I ask him.

"Just sore, moving isn't much fun but it's not super painful or anything." Tristan replies.

"Okay lay down, Fitz we're going to need more ice and I'm going to find a first aid kit. Owen plays enough sports that you guys must have at least one." I remark.

"Washroom down the hall, under the sink." Tristan tells me as he lies down and puts the ice on his eye.

I go back to the washroom and Fitz goes to the kitchen for more ice. I sit on the coffee table and start applying first aid to the few scratches and abrasions he has. Fitz wraps up two more ice packs and puts them on the red marks on Tristan's abdomen just as the door opens and Owen comes in with a shocked yet worried expression.

"I thought Adam was joking when he said you guys were at my house! What the hell happened?" Owen inquires as he comes around the sofa to look at Tristan.

"Maya and I were walking back from window shopping downtown and these guys started bothering us and beat me up. Fitz and Clare came along and saved us, Fitz made those guys leave me alone without throwing a single punch. Then they took us home and Clare's been nursing me." Tristan enlightens his brother as I put a bandage on his last scratch.

"Thanks man, I owe you one for saving Tris and you should have called me to pick you up." Owen scolds his brother but he sounds concerned and not harsh.

"Don't worry about it; I couldn't let those guys bug Tris or anyone else." Fitz shrugs.

"Thanks for tending to my brother Clare; I guess you made it through your date in one piece. I can take over from here; you guys should go finish your date. I'll tell the others that you're okay and get them to back off a bit so you can finish your date without being bothered." Owen smiles.

"Thanks Owen," I smile at the dark haired hockey player.

"Thanks man," Fitz smiles too.

"Yeah talk to you guys later." Owen nods.

I grab my purse then Fitz and I leave the Milligan residence. We get back in his car and he drives me home. He gets out and walks me to my door, taking my hands when we reach it.

"I had a great time tonight, thank you and next time you can pick the movie." I tell him.

"Does that mean I get a second date?" He smiles hopefully.

Rather than reply verbally I stand on my tiptoes and join our lips. His tongue slides along my bottom lip and they part allowing him access. Our tongues join together, intertwining as our hands release, his arms go around my back and my arms go around his neck. I feel like I'm dancing, like I'm floating, my whole body is tingling and I feel alive and connected to him. The whole of the rest of the world disappears leaving just me and him on this electric cloud of bliss. I don't want to part my lips from his; the thought of it is almost physically painful but I have this pesky need to breath. We part just barely, sharing a breath and our eyes lock.

"I'll call you tomorrow, goodnight Clare." Fitz smiles softly kissing my cheek.

"Goodnight Fitz," I smile as we slowly pull out of each other's embrace.

I have to force my feet to walk a couple of steps and open my door, waving to him just before I close the door and leaning against it.

"Mom and Dad are out, which is lucky for you. How was the date? Why didn't you tell me you were going out with Fitz?!" Jake speaks suddenly and I jump a little.

"Because I knew how'd you react. The date was great Jake, Fitz was a perfect gentleman and we're going out again. Now I have to go call Adam so he knows I'm alive and take a shower." I inform him and go upstairs.

"Owen called, I heard about you guys saving Tristan. So aside from being super heroes how was it?" Adam asks when he picks up.

"The date was wonderful Adam, I had a great time and Fitz was nothing but a gentleman." I tell him.

"Well I still don't like this much but I guess even Fitz deserves a second chance." Adam says.

"Thanks Adam, I'm going to shower and go to bed. What about Alli and the others? How are they taking it?" I ask.

"I'm not too sure, we left the Dot after Owen called. I'm home now but I'll text them and let them know you called. You'll probably have a visitor or two tomorrow." Adam replies.

"Yeah I guess I should have expected that. Goodnight Adam." I respond.

"Goodnight Clare, I'll call you tomorrow or you can always hide here if everyone else won't leave you alone." Adam offers.

I tell him thanks and hang up; shower and get ready for bed managing to avoid my parents. I fall asleep pretty early and fairly quickly, I have these wonderful dreams all night long about me and Fitz. I wake up surprisingly early but blissfully happy. I go downstairs, start some coffee and go out to get the paper to find Eli sitting on my front steps.

"How long have you been sitting there?" I query, wrapping my robe a little tighter as he turns to look at me.

"About thirty minutes, can we talk?" He requests.

"You haven't so much as looked at me in days and now you want to talk because I went on a date with Fitz?! You're the one that wanted space Eli, not me and now you have it!" I shoot back not meaning for there to be quite so much venom in my voice.

I turn to go back inside but Eli jumps up and catches my arm lightly sort of gently urging me to look back at him and of course I do, never could resist those green eyes.

"I know okay, I asked for space and pushed you away but I didn't mean to push you into the arms of Fitz!" Eli exclaims.

"Yeah well I didn't exactly plan on ending up there either! I always thought it would be me and you but I had a good time with Fitz. He is a good guy and I was happy last night Eli, I'm still happy today. I had fun and he's not a monster, he never was and now he's changed into someone even better. Did you just expect me not date again and wait around for you to decide you didn't need space?" I question in a somewhat indignant tone.

"No, not exactly. I mean I figured at some point someone would ask you out or Alli or Jenna would set you up on a rebound date but Fitz? Really Clare? You couldn't have gone out with Liam again or something? Why Fitz?" Eli inquires with an accusing tone.

I take a deep breath and look at him. "I admit when I first said yes to him it was partially to get under your skin. I was really mad at you still for how things ended but the date wasn't about you at all. It was about me and Fitz; I had a good time Eli. I like him Eli, I really like him, I never expected to but I do. I know when you asked for space you didn't plan for me to end up in anyone else's arms let alone Fitz's but I did! I didn't plan on liking him; I didn't plan on any of this but as John Lennon said life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. So you can either be happy for me and give Fitz another chance like Adam and Owen and hopefully everyone else or you can be angry and resentful and probably lose any chance we have of being friends ever again." I tell him.

Eli's silent for a minute, I can see his green eyes searching, thinking really hard about his next move. He sighs heavily and his body sort of slumps, his green eyes find my blue ones again and lock on.

"It hurts losing you to Fitz, it hurts a lot and I can't say I don't have my doubts and concerns but," he says placing his hand on my cheek and cupping my face gently, "losing you all together would hurt much worse, probably kill me. I'll give Fitz another chance, cautiously, I'll be watching closely and if I see any sign of trouble…"

"You'll be there for me like always, thank you Eli." I smile.

He gives me his smirk and then softly kisses me. "I should let you get dressed; I'll see you at school." He says releasing me and I watch him walk away.


End file.
